An Exchange of Few Words
by tectrices
Summary: [KyoxHaru] As the one girl in a club full of men, it was bound to happen. Haruhi just didn't expect it to happen with him. And she really didn't expect to enjoy it.
1. Kiss 1

_**An Exchange of Few Words**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Host Club.  
**A/N:** This is my first Host Club fic-- it's a Kyo/Haru. I hope everybody enjoys!

**Chapter One:**_ Accident_

**xXx**

Their first kiss was an accident.

The day started out as, by Host Club standards, a perfectly normal day. Schoolwork was the least pressing issue, and frivolous girls lined up by the dozens to partake of each boy's (and Haruhi's) particular brand of the fine art of meaningless flirtation and seize the honor of his (or Haruhi's) company until the allotted time was up. The club was first and foremost, Kyoya liked to remind the others, a business. Conveniently, Tamaki was never listening on any of the occasions that such a statement was made.

And, as per the usual, his mind was far from anything of remote importance to the business side of the club.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki yelled loudly, bounding over towards you with arms open wide. "How are you? Had Daddy been ignoring you? I–"

"Excuse me," Haruhi said coldly. "Could you just stop before you make my headache worse?" She turned away before adding as an afterthought, "And you're not my father."

Tamaki sniffled pathetically. "Mom! Our daughter's being so cruel!" Tamaki rushed over to Kyoya, whining like a small child. "That's no way to treat her father!"

Kyoya pushed up his glasses. "Well. Perhaps not all fathers rush their daughters while yelling loudly enough to deafen them."

Tamaki's face fell and he instantly retreated into his (patent pending) Tamaki-Corner-of-Woe.

The twins chuckled mercilessly at their hopeless leader. They, too, had been bored with the normal atmosphere, and were certainly in the mood to shake things up a bit. If that meant upsetting the king further, then they had no objection whatsoever.

"Oh Haruhi," they called in unison, sliding over to the girl in question slyly. "Has that perverted king been harassing you?" they asked in whispers. "Is his foolishness upsetting you?"

One twin put his arm around Haruhi while the other turned over his shoulder to smirk at Tamaki. Haruhi just sighed, too used to the other members to really be surprised or upset by them. "Hikaru," she said, pushing off his arm, "and Kaoru, I'm fine. Thanks for your concern, but it really isn't necessary."

"Yah, Haruhi!" Hunny yelled, glomping his friend. "I'm glad you're Ok!" He crawled off of her– as he had landed them both on the ground– and smiled as cutely as he could. "Would you like a piece of cake?" He held up a plate that had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere.

Haruhi looked wary. "Th-thank you, Hunny-sempai, but..." At the look on his face at her words, and the tears threatening to spill from his big doe-eyes, she relented. "Alright. I'll have a piece with you."

Hunny grinned and took her hand. "Takashi!" he called as he led her over to where he and Mori had been sitting, "let's get Haru some cake!"

Mori nodded silently and pulled out three fresh plates. Hunny and Haruhi sat down with him, and he served each of them a big slice of fresh, strawberry cake.

The twins, as eager for mischief as they were, began plotting. Surely Haruhi wanted to talk to _them_, and she was only sitting with the two upperclassmen to be polite. With that new "knowledge" in their over-confident minds, they set about getting said girl's attention. "Haruhi!" they called, picking up the bag she used for carrying her books. "Is this yours?" They started to dump it out, successfully getting Haruhi's full attention.

"Ahh!" she called, standing up quickly. "Don't do that, you two! Put my bag down!"

She was about to rush after them, when Hunny jumped up and ran first. Unfortunately, he had bumped into her during his sprint, causing her to lose her balance. Both Mori and Tamaki ran to help her. Tamaki, however, ran rather ungracefully into Mori, sending him recoiling him straight into Haruhi. Which was also unfortunate, because it meant that Kyoya– who had come over to see what the ruckus was– was to be Haruhi's landing pad. Or, to put it more concisely... Her lips landed _directly_ on his lips.

Haruhi was kissing Kyoya.

Though it lasted no longer than a second, it shocked the entire host club into silence. Tamaki had fallen into an empty chair, utterly speechless. The twins glanced at each other with wide eyes. Mori was predictably quiet, though his eyes darted to and from the guilty parties with unusual quickness. And Hunny slowly ate his cake.

"Ahh... Well," said Haruhi, stepping away first and glancing nervously about the room. "Sorry, Kyoya-sempai– I didn't mean to bump into you." And with a smile, she turned and walked away.

Kyoya blinked, and suddenly the world seemed to shift back into its proper gear. He walked to the opposite side of the room from Haruhi, and began to once again work through some of the club's finance books. Tamaki began to wail hopelessly, running about the room like a chicken with its head cut off. The twins had retreated to a corner of the Third Music Room, whispering something unintelligible among themselves. Mori was observing everything and everyone in silence, and Hunny... was eating his cake.

It was very good cake.  
**xXx**

**End A/N:** Thanks for reading! Sorry it was so short-- proceeding chapters will be longer. Leave a review, please; I'd really appreciate it!


	2. Kiss 2

**_An Exchange of Few Words_**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Host Club.  
_**A/N:** I am SOO sorry this took so long to get posted! Oh, I'm a fiend, an absolute fiend. I hope you all can forgive me. I'm just overwhelmed by the response this has gotten! I can honestly say that I've never gotten so much response from just the first chapter of any fic I've ever written! Thank you all so much! It's very, very flattering for me. I guess this fandom is really popular! Yes, this is a multi-chapter fic, and I'm guessing it'll be about 15 chapters. I'll try to be quicker about updating. Heh. Once again, thanks so much for reading!

**Chapter Two:** _Surprise_

**xXx**

Their second kiss was a surprise.

At the club, things were always happy. There was always a positive air, a pleasant feeling– and anything that upset the easy-going atmosphere was quickly either remedied or forgotten. The kiss between Kyoya and Haruhi– and all the unpleasant feelings associated with it– was pushed out of everyone's mind. No one mentioned it and so, it seemed, the entire incident had been forgotten. Things went on just as they always had.

About a week after the incident, Tamaki found himself sighing unhappily as he watched Haruhi studying.

"Mother," he said, turning to Kyoya, "why doesn't our daughter want to spend time with us? What have you been making her do that's caused her to miss so much school work that she has to make it up during club time?"

"Once again, Tamaki," Kyoya remarked, "your idiocy amazes me." Tamaki pouted. "Have you forgotten already that it's exam time? Haruhi has been so busy trying to juggle her regular studies and her time with you that she forgot to start studying for her exams."

Tamaki gasped. "No! Haruhi must pass! This is vital for her scholarship!" He began running about the room wildly, asking the girls who were enjoying the other hosts if they wouldn't mind postponing their visit. After the giggling herd had been properly dispatched, Tamaki grabbed Haruhi and pulled her over to Kyoya.

"Haruhi," he said sternly, "we have seen how you're falling behind in your studies, forced to take out your books at all hours, never resting, never seeing the light of day!" At this point he was close to swooning."

"Do you need something, Tamaki-sempai?" Haruhi asked coldly.

Tamaki immediately flew to his "corner of woe".

Haruhi sighed. She rubbed her forehead in exasperation, cursing herself for thinking that the other hosts would let her have even a moment of peace. "I'm trying to study," she said in lieu of apology. "Could you please wait until I've taken a break?"

The president gasped and sprang back up, promptly running over to her. "That's exactly why I need to talk to you! Everyone knows that two heads are better than one, so let Mother help you! Let Mother be your tutor - then surely you'll get much more knowledge crammed in your head." He nodded happily, as though there was no doubt that his plan was brilliant.

Haruhi sighed. "Tamaki-sempai..."

Kyoya stood up. "No, I don't mind at all. But know that I do charge for my time." He smirked rather evilly.

Before Haruhi could protest, Tamaki had rounded up the other hosts and shooed them out the door. With an embellished wave he followed after them, closing the door behind him.

Haruhi groaned. "Do I ha - "

"Yes," Kyoya interrupted. "All protests would be completely futile."

She sighed. "That's what I thought."

She took her books and they moved over to one of the abandoned tables. Kyoya cleared it off and they sat down. "What will we be working on?" he asked.

"Mathematics. Everything else I think I've covered well enough on my own." He glanced over at her, seeing the look of frustration on her face.

"There's no need to look so sour," he said. "If I agree to do something, I do it all out. And though I may have ulterior motives for helping you, I'm still going to help you."

Haruhi grinned half-heartedly at him. "I'm sorry, Kyoya-sempai. I realize that. I wasn't doubting your ability to help me." She sighed again and opened a book and took out the paper she had been working on. "Let's get started, then."

So they did.

After a few minutes, he glanced over at her again. She wasn't gorgeous by any stretch. She passed just as well for a boy as she did for a girl. A small, very feminine boy, of course, but no one had really doubted her.

However...

Even though she wasn't breathtakingly beautiful - and she definitely wasn't - she was not without a certain appeal. She was common, yes, but she possessed a personality that was all her own. Haruhi spoke her mind. Haruhi always spoke her mind. She didn't put up with nonsense, always the practical and sensible one. There weren't many girls out there who were like her; she had certainly proved herself as one of a kind.

And in that way, she was richer than any of the other members of the host club.

But, of course, that didn't matter to Kyoya. He was practical in his own way: cold, anti-social, with finances eternally on his mind. He was a businessman to his core. And just like most businessmen, he was well aware of the greed most commoners were ruled by. (Most _people_, he would later realize, but then, he had been brought up to be biased.) Haruhi, however, didn't seem to care about money. After she had what was necessary for her and her father to live, she didn't seem to care about money at all.

And though he wasn't nearly as obsessed as Tamaki was, Kyoya still found Haruhi to be a very interesting specimen.

She, however, didn't seem to feel the same way about him. He was just another rich boy - a weird, extravagant species that - though she interacted regularly with - she would never understand. She didn't even seem to want to understand them.

Kyoya was not used to being so unimportant in anyone's eyes.

He glanced over at Haruhi once again as she worked beside him. What was so special about her that gave her the right to bo so indifferent, he wondered. Kyoya was used to taking what he wanted, but... Even if Haruhi was what he desired, there was no way for him to obtain her.

"Ahh, Kyoya-sempai?" Haruhi said suddenly, breaking the boy out of his reverie. "I need you to check this problem for me. I think I made a careless mistake somewhere, but I can't seem to find it."

She moved closer to him, taking her paper with her. The warmth coming from her body didn't feel at all unpleasant, and Kyoya deliberately left his arm just a little too close to hers.

"So..." She sounded slightly impatient. "Could you please look through my work for the error?"

He nodded briskly and pushed his glasses up. She had made a careless mistake - accidentally changing a number in the problem. "Ahh," he said smugly, almost as though he'd made a brilliant deduction. He made to push the paper towards her, but he really only pushed it further away - so she'd have to lean nearer to get to it.

"Right there," he instructed her. He pointed to the mistake with his pencil. "Do you see? You changed the number."

She leaned down to look at where he indicated, inadvertently moving closer. "Oh, of course. That was stupid of me." She checked over the rest of her work silently. "But do the other problems look all right, Kyoya-sempai?"

"Yes, Haruhi," he said gruffly. "The other problems look fine." He turned his head to look at her, smirking devilishly. A plan had already been fully formed in that devious brain his handsome head housed.

"Mmm... Haruhi?" he murmured indistinctly, just loud enough to get her attention.

"What? Kyoya-sempai, did you - "

And without warning, he pulled her head down and kissed her hard - lips warm and soft over hers. She was too shocked to move even a single muscle.

A short moment later, he pulled away. She gaped at him silently, her mouth open, a stupefied expression on her face. "Tutoring you has been pleasant, Haruhi," he said, as casual as anything. He pushed in his chair. "I'll see you tomorrow at club time, then. Goodbye." And with that, he left a still-shocked, still-gaping Haruhi standing there as he sauntered out the door.

"Oh... my - did that really just happen?" she asked herself incredulously. "Did Kyoya-sempai actually... _kiss_ me?" She shook her head to clear out all the fuzziness. That certainly hadn't been expected. In fact, it had come as quite a shock. Kyoya wasn't the sort of guy to just kiss random girls, but Haruhi was sure that he didn't hold her in any particularly high regard.

"Was he just... bored?" she asked herself as she gathered up her books, attributing a motive of the twins to the club's "shadow king".

There wasn't any reasonable explanation for his behavior. Yes, there had been that accidental kiss a week or so before, but she had forgotten all about it. Hadn't he?

Was he trying to teach her another lesson? Had he meant to shock her, so she'd forget all he had taught her so she'd have to have another study session (and there-by adding to her debt since he was making her pay him)? Did any of the other club members have something to do with it? Had he set up secret cameras to capture the moment so he could sell it to rabid fangirls for more money?

Haruhi didn't know what to think. So, as was her custom, she pushed the issue out of her mind. There was just no explaining all the eccentricities of the rich.

'_Yes,'_ she thought to herself, touching a finger to her lips in retrospection, _'there's just no explaining the rich.'  
_**xXx**

**End A/N:** I hope everyone enjoyed this second chapter of "AEOFW". I'll try to get the third chapter up soon. We get a week off for Thanksgiving, so I'll have much more time to write. Heh. Thanks again! Personally, I think that this chapter was even better than the first, and I'm hoping that will become a trend. I know the chapters will become longer. This is just the foundation. Well... Thanks for reading! Review, please. I know I have no right to ask, but I'd still appreciate it! Thanks again!


	3. Kiss 3

**_An Exchange of Few Words_**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Host Club._  
**A/N:** I give you leave to hate me, wretched author that I am. Heh. This took way too long to get posted. And, though it's longer than the previous chapters, it doesn't quite make up for the wait. Haruhi is hard to write. Real life sucks. I have more excuses if I need to drag 'em out... Heh. But! Please enjoy. beam I can guarantee - putting my immortal soul on the line here - that chapter four (which is a sort of "interlude" in which we see the other hosts reactions to Kyoya's strange behavior) will be up by Friday at the latest. If I'm now swamped with school, I'll try to have it up tomorrow. Heh. We'll see. 

Review responses for chapter two will be on my livejournal tomorrow if you're interested. Thanks for all the great reviews, guys!

**Chapter Three:** Mistake

**xXx**

Their third kiss was a mistake. 

Haruhi didn't say anything about Kyoya kissing her during their Tamaki-mandated study session. (Which, though she passed all her exams with flying colors, probably hadn't helped.)

It irked her, and there was always an uneasy spot in the back of her mind questioning his motives for doing that, but for the most part she managed to forget all about it. And he, of course, hadn't said a word. No explanation was offered, no reasonable answer was given to her unspoken inquiry. In fact, he seemed to have adopted an even more aloof attitude than before.

Once again, she was forced to conclude that rich people were just insane.

However, whether insane or not, she could not deny that something about Kyoya had changed. The difference was almost imperceptible, and certainly none but herself would have noticed the subtle changes in Kyoya's behavior towards her. He smiled more often, and he was kinder to her. He suddenly found more excuses to be near her, excuses to touch her. But then at other times, he was colder than ever - acting as though he didn't care about her at all. At first, Haruhi had thought she was imagining it. No one else, not even Hunny or Mori, seemed to notice, and Kyoya hadn't even secretly confronted her as he was usually wont to do. In fact, he seemed completely oblivious. So for awhile, she just ignored it.

But it went on.

And after three weeks of such strange behavior, she couldn't ignore it anymore. The thought that perhaps he was attracted to her never crossed her mind. They were both hosts; they were as close to being friends as any of Kyoya's acquaintances could come. Haruhi didn't understand why he would single her out so. Was he teasing her? Was he trying to tell her something that he didn't want anyone else to know? Was he trying to tell _someone_ _else_ something that he didn't want her to know? She was, frankly, baffled.

Confronting him wasn't an option. She just stubbornly pushed all confusing thoughts of him to the back of her mind, and went about her business like nothing had changed.

Until one day, one of Haruhi's usuals confessed that she had more than just friendly, fan-girly feelings for the freshman host. After the girl had breathlessly spilled out her feelings, Haruhi stood there speechless.

"Um... It's very flattering you feel that way for me," Haruhi said. The girl looked up at her with glowing, hopeful eyes. "But..." The girl's face began to fall. "I'm sorry. I just don't feel the same way. You're a very nice person, but I don't have any sort of romantic feelings for you."

The girl's upper lip began to tremble. "Are you... Are you sure?"

Haruhi nodded resolutely. "I'm sorry. But I don't really think of you as anything more than a client."

The girl's large, brown eyes began to water. "I... B-but, do..." She swallowed, trying to allay her anxiety. "Do you think that... That you could ever learn to feel more?"

"No, I'm sorry but I don't think that's possible." Haruhi shook her head regretfully. "I'm afraid that my feelings won't change."

The girl burst into tears, and without anything word to anyone ran out of the Third Music Room in utter despair. Haruhi watched her, feeling mildly guilty that she had to be the one to upset the poor girl. But she had only been honest.

"Wonderful," a voice behind the female host said dryly. "You've scared a customer away." She turned and saw Kyoya, his arms crossed, looking displeased. "You'll have to make that up, you know."

Haruhi bit back a groan. "It wasn't my fault, Kyoya-sempai. I couldn't lie to her, and - "

"And you could have handled the conversation better," he interrupted. "There was no need to send her away bawling her eyes out. This will not display the Host Club in a positive light." He adjusted his glasses, the bright light glinting off the lenses. "I hope you're prepared to accept the consequences of your actions."

"Stop trying to scare me," Haruhi said. "I understand." She frowned. "And I believe I did handle the conversation as best I could - it would have been cruel to give her false hope and there was _no way _I'd ever care for her as more than just a... a client or at the most a friend, so..." She crossed her arms and shot him a stern look. "What was I supposed to do?"

Kyoya jotted something down onto his clipboard, and Haruhi felt a vague stirring of fear that she had just increased her debt. "You find a way," he told her coldly, "to make them believe you would love them if there was any possible way you could." He shook his head and laughed mockingly. "You might be perfectly natural... But there are some things about hosting you just can't grasp."

"You're one to talk," she said, more out of honesty than spite. "I doubt you could do a better job. Those girls would have to be fools to believe that silly smile you present to them is your true face."

"Then they're fools." He put a hand on the top of her head and ruffled her hair. "Girls don't come here for honesty, Haruhi. They come to be fools." He smiled at her rather unkindly. "They want to believe we care."

But before she could respond, Tamaki rushed over. "Oh no!" he wailed. "Oh my beautiful daughter, what has that cruel mother been doing to you?"

"Nothing," Kyoya said immediately, his voice sharp. Haruhi shot him a confused look. "We were merely having a discussion about the girl she just sent away in tears."

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Kyoya-sempai, I told you already, I - "

But before she could finish, Tamaki had grabbed her hands and was rubbing them against his cheek in what he believed to be a consoling manner. "Oh, daughter! My dearest, most wonderful daughter! Of course you didn't mean to do such a thing! You must excuse your mother - oh, how terrible! How your tender heart must be wounded!"

By that time, Haruhi had tuned him out completely. She was more interested in Kyoya, whose strange behavior combined with their freshly-interrupted conversation made for a puzzle that Haruhi just couldn't figure out. However, she knew how to take an opportunity when she saw one.

"Tamaki-sempai," she said suddenly, deftly extricating herself from his loving grasp, "I appreciate your concern, but this is a matter that Kyoya-sempai and I should handle between ourselves." She sent "mother" a pointed look. "Don't worry," she said, when she saw the worried look on Tamaki's face, "I won't let him get away with anything."

Had she not known better, she would have said that Kyoya looked taken aback. "All right, Haruhi," he said, his tone light. "Shall we step into the hall?"

She nodded. And leaving a gaping, miserable-looking Tamaki behind, they went out into the privacy of the hallway.

Kyoya took charge immediately. "What's this about, Haruhi?" he asked, adjusting his glasses. She'd noticed him doing that often, lately; it seemed like a nervous habit. "I believe you know me well enough not to assume that I'd be swayed by any sort of plea. You are going to make up for that customer you lost, and - "

"No," Haruhi said, shaking her head. "It's more than that." She looked him straight in the eye. "You've been acting strangely lately - and I think it's because of me." She folded her arms across her chest authoritatively. "I want an explanation."

"Strangely? What do you mean by that?"

"Well..." Her gaze shifted off to one side, then the other. "You run hot and cold on me; sometimes you're very attentive and kind - touching me more, smiling more - but sometimes your attitude is positively frigid, and you give the impression that you hate me. I don't understand. And... I was wondering if..." She shifted her weight. "If maybe it had something to do with the afternoon we had that tutoring session."

"You mean when I kissed you."

As blunt as she could be. "Yes. That's exactly what I mean."

"To be honest, I think it's just your imagination. That kiss meant nothing, and it's best if you put it out of your mind. Unless..." He frowned and looked down his nose at her. "Unless you're attaching more meaning to it than I am."

"Oh no! I'm not in the habit of kissing many people, but I knew that it was..." She searched for the right word. "That it wasn't quite what a _kiss_ would be. We... Our relationship isn't like that."

"Really?" He smirked. "And just what is our _relationship_ like?"

"We're... friends," Haruhi said. "We're friends."

"Really?" he asked again, his smirk widening into something more devilish. "Just... friends?"

Haruhi frowned. "Sempai, if you're trying to imply that... that I _do_ attach meaning to that kiss, then you're wrong."

"So what you're saying is that, given the opportunity to kiss me again, you wouldn't take it? Don't delude yourself, Haruhi."

"Delude myself?" she echoed angrily. "I'm not deluding myself, not at all. I'm fully aware of - "

"Your attraction to me?" he finished for her, earning himself a fierce glare. "You certainly don't seem to be aware of it. You seem rather intent on denying it, actually." Somewhere, in the back of his subconscious mind, he was aware that he was projecting his own feelings onto Haruhi. However, the situation was too entertaining for him to really care.

"Denying it? Kyoya-sempai, it doesn't even exist! I didn't ask to talk to you so you could make these crazy accusations. I don't feel anything stronger than friendship for you. You kissed me! If anything, I should be asking you how _you_ feel!"

He came closer, caging her in - both arms up, his hands flat against the wall. "That, my dear Haruhi," he said softly, "is my own business. And the statement previous to that... is a lie. We may be friends and friendship may be all you _want_ from me, but it's foolish to try and tell me - or yourself - that you're not attracted to me. Am I not handsome? Am I not wealthy? Am I - "

"You're also kind of a jerk," Haruhi interrupted bluntly. "And that seems to overshadow the good stuff."

"But what if I said... I _was _attracted to you?"

"What?" That seemed to startle her. "I... Kyoya-sempai, you can't be serious. Attracted to me? That's ridiculous. If this is another one of your complicated, involved schemes, then I don't want to be a part of it. I still have to work off the rest of my debt, and I can't take the risk of increasing it further." He didn't move. "So would you please let me go?"

"No." His eyes seemed to grow colder; Haruhi felt a sudden, insane urge to shiver. "This isn't a scheme, and I'm not trying to increase your debt. I am telling you that I have been acting 'strangely', as you put it, because... I am attracted to you."

Haruhi swallowed, feeling something akin to nervousness. "Then I... Kyoya-sempai, I'm not entirely comfortable with this situation."

"I want to know the truth. I want you to be honest. Are you or are you not... attracted to me, too?"

She wasn't sure what to do, wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't even sure how she really felt. Of course she had imagined that she'd grow to have feelings for one of the hosts eventually, but... _Kyoya_? He had been the last on her list. He was handsome. And the physical proximity to him was making something in her squirm. It wasn't like with Mori-sempai, whose obvious strength made her body pulse just being near him. And it wasn't like with Tamaki-sempai, who was wiry but firm, and who made her feel like she had a teddy bear to protect her from the dark. No, Kyoya was definitely different.

So, in light of all the that uncertainty - and, she would admit later, out of a desire for retaliation - she did the only thing she felt she could do.

She kissed him.

And almost immediately wished she hadn't. His surprise - if not downright shock - was evident as soon as her lips met his. Haruhi didn't really know what she was doing - she hadn't ever really kissed someone before. Was her stomach supposed to feel like it was in her throat? Was her whole head supposed to feel like it was on fire? She put the heat down to embarrassment. And just then she realized that maybe he had been partially right, and the potential to be attracted to him was _definitely_ there.

By that moment, however, Kyoya had somehow been reanimated and was being a little more active than Haruhi liked. His hands were on her shoulders, but he titled his head and then suddenly they were on her waist. Her back was pressed against the wall, and her hands were trapped between their bodies. He pulled away suddenly and at the same time pulled her body even closer to his, and was clearly about to initiate a kiss on his own terms when Haruhi stepped to the side and put her hands in front of her face.

"No!" she said suddenly. "Stop! Kyoya-sempai..." She took a deep breath and lowered her hands. He let go of her and took a large step back, wearing an unreadable expression. "I'm sorry," she said simply. "I... shouldn't have done that. It was a mistake."

He nodded without a word.

"I have to go." She skittered away from him. Pulling open the door, she shot back into the Third Music Room, leaving him alone in the large, opulent corridor - silence echoing all around.  
**xXx**

* * *

**End A/N:** Thank you so much for reading, you beautiful fan-fictioners, you! La. I hope you enjoyed this, despite its tardiness. Heh. I have been stressed out lately, but I had two huge chunks of this just sitting on my computer and in a notebook forever, lacking only the bridge between them. I could have come up with something a little sooner. (sigh) Yes, I'm cruel, I know. Anyway! I really appreciate everyone who's left a comment on this. It's very encouraging! Heh. Well, that's all. Til chapter four!


	4. Interlude 1

**_An Exchange of Few Words_**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran Host Club.  
_**A/N:** Yah! I did it. I said I'd post today and I actually did it. Ahh, meeting deadlines... What an infrequent occurence. Enjoy! 

Thank you, darling reviewers! As always, I appreciate them greatly!

**Chapter Four:** Host Club Theatre: Hunny and Mori

**xXx**

When the bell rang, a whole stream of third years poured into the lavish cafeteria for lunch. Among this tidal wave of students were two particular young men - two members of the Host Club, in fact: Haninozuka Mitsukuni, and Morinozuka Takashi. And they were ready to eat.

"Ahh! It's lunchtime!" Hunny said happily, bouncing a little with each step. I want a big, big slice of cake, first!" Mori just nodded silently, used to his cousin's insane sweet tooth.

After procuring two meals prepared by the gourmet chefs Ouran kept on staff, the third year boys found a small, empty table for themselves and sat down. For the first five minutes, not a word was spoken by either. Mori rarely talked as a rule, and Hunny's mouth was, at that time, much more agreeably occupied. After a considerable dent had been made in his meal, Hunny turned his head towards Mori thoughtfully and said, "Takashi... Something's been weird about Kyoya and Haruhi, ne?"

Haruhi had been quite wrong.

Both Hunny and Mori had noticed a slight alteration in the behavior of their resident "Shadow King". They hadn't seen any of the exchanges between Kyoya and the female host, so the nature of such strangeness was still in question. There was obviously something there, but neither of the two older hosts planned to voice their suspicions.

Mori nodded and grunted slightly in assent.

"I hope he hasn't been too mean to her," Hunny meant on, nibbling occasionally on the scraps of his meal. "Kyo-chan loves to tease her!"

"Tries to intimidate," Mori put in.

Hunny smiled. "You're right! He brings up her big debt all the time, and he likes to corner her to talk to her... Ahh! And he likes making our poor Haru-chan do things she doesn't want to do way too much. Poor, poor Haru-chan." Hunny stopped, suddenly wearing a slight frown...

Mori swallowed the bit of food he had been chewing. Obviously his cousin had a little more on his mind. "But."

"Ahh! Nothing, Takashi." He glanced at Mori with a sly expression. "But if he doesn't stop, poor Haru-chan may end up staying in the Host Club all through high school. And maybe even working with us - or for one of us! - after she graduates. That's a lot of extra time to spend together.."

"But Kyoya wouldn't do that on purpose."

Hunny grinned. "Of course not. Kyo-chan thinks of Haruhi as just another business project. He wouldn't be trying to make sure he's near her longer."

Mori nodded.

"Poor Haru-chan, though. This weirdness started a few weeks ago, when Haruhi fell and accidentally kissed Kyoya." The two boys were silent, thinking that over. Then Hunny laughed. "But that was just an accident! Almost embarrassing. A big surprise to them both." Hunny nodded to emphasize his point. "Really a mistake."

Mori popped another juicy strawberry into his mouth. "Didn't mean a thing."

Hunny meant to agree, but his mouth was full again.

So he just gave Mori a knowing wink.

Because really - how could it mean anything? Neither Kyoya nor Haruhi had any interest in pursuing a relationship with anyone. The thought that maybe their recent strange behavior was due to some sort of mutual attraction was ridiculous. That's what both Hunny and Mori had decided.

After all, it was way too early to give any credit to the alternative.

**xXx**

* * *

End A/N: Thanks for reading! This was a lot shorter than I had planned for it to be. Actually, it's only half as long. But I said all that I wanted to say - didn't want to work it too much. Heh - this is sort of a "reflection" on the three kisses that have happened before. There'll be three of these, I think - this one, one with the twins, and then one with Tamaki. I'm anticipating twelve total chapters, but we'll see. Thanks again. Reviews are flattering and gratifying - appreciated as always! 


	5. Kiss 4

**_An Exchange of Few Words_**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club._  
**A/N:** Yes, this was far too long in coming. The worst part... Our old computer died, so ALL MY NOTES on this story were, in essence, lost. I had to completely rewrite the entire beginning for this chapter. Blah. But I think this is better than what I had. I added a little more than I had planned to (since I made you wait so long), so it's longer than I had originally planned. Enjoy! 

**Chapter Five:** Disaster

**xXx**

Their fourth kiss was a disaster.

Haruhi had been working harder than ever in school, and though the extra studying did add stress, she handled it well and made sure to keep some time set off especially for rest.

Her father had picked up a few extra hours at work, so the time they spent actually at home together was less than it had been before. She was glad they had the little bit of extra money, but with all her time at school spent concentrating or studying, and almost all of her time at home spent studying or doing housework, Haruhi felt... Strangely enough, she found that she was feeling unfamiliar pangs of... _loneliness_.

She never thought she would come to be grateful for the boys at the host club, but suddenly she found she was. That social interaction - though often annoying and headache-inducing - was enough for her to get through her rather solitary day. And on rare days, she actually discovered that she looked forward to seeing her six extravagant companions.

But most days... She wasn't. Especially when an already bad day was compounded with arriving at the host club to see - the very first thing when she walked in! - Tamaki dressed as a peacock (1).

As soon as she had managed to process what she saw, her face was wiped of all discernible expression. "You cannot be serious."

"Oh but I am serious!" he said, twirling around exuberantly. The feathers he wore swayed gently after him. "Today we are giving our lovely customers a chance to see our... _wild_ side." He gestured to the twins, who were dressed as a pair of monkeys. They grinned mischievously and winked at her. Mori, she saw, was dressed as what she assumed was a bear; Hunny was a small - and far too adorable - lion. Kyoya, however, looked faintly Roman in a floor-length garment not unlike a toga, made of something silver and shimmering, greens and pinks reflected in the light.

"What animal are you, Kyoya-sempai?"

He smirked, shifting his glasses so the glare hid his eyes. "A snake." He held up a large, very familiar rabbit costume. "Guess what you get to be, Haruhi."

She groaned. "Kyoya-sempai..."

Tamaki, who for once seemed to sense her distress, rushed over to his "daughter". "Well, my dearest Haruhi, we would have chosen a costume like ours for you, but..." He smiled almost nervously. "While you are naturally lovely and surely you have a... a fine physique, the costumes we wear might... Well, they way they're made, it... Um, because of your..."

"Breasts," Kyoya said bluntly. "All the other costumes were too revealing; it would have been impossible to hide your gender."

Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

Mori gave him a stern look. "Kyoya. You shouldn't try to make Haruhi deliberately uncomfortable."

"Yes!" Tamaki said gallantly. "It isn't proper to discuss Haruhi's... girl parts so casually. What she must think of us!" And he proceeded to swoon.

Haruhi closed her eyes and stifled another groan. All she wanted to do was go home. The pending horror of being forced into that dreadful giant rabbit costume, having her "girl parts" mentioned freely...

Clearly, the world was determined to make her as miserable as possible that day. She groaned quietly.

"Haru-chan!" Hunny rushed over to her. "Are you okay?"

He looked so concerned that it seemed a very little bit of her burden was lifted. "Ahh... yes, Hunny-sempai. I'm okay. It's just been a rather long day and I'm really in no mood for any of this..." She surveyed the third music room with an expression of clear disdain. "Silliness."

Tamaki flew into a whirlwind of condolence and coercion. "Oh my darling daughter! Let your dearest family make it all better! We shall lift your spirits high, high, high. You must join us in our fantasy of - "

"No." Though she spoke bluntly, her refusal was as sharp as a razor's edge. "I will NOT take part in your ridiculous schemes today."

Tamaki's lip quivered pathetically, and he looked to Kyoya for help.

"Well Haruhi," the two Hitachiins said slyly, gliding up to her like a pair of cats about to catch their mouse, "if you don't play with us now, Kyoya-sempai will have to charge you. We did already rent your costume, after all."

"Rent?" she asked incredulously. "I thought that... that _thing_ belonged to one of you."

"Oh no, no, no. It's _very _expensive. Right Kaoru?"

"Oh yes, brother. Haruhi really shouldn't even dream of saying no."

While normally Tamaki would have rejoiced at any opportunity to spend time with Haruhi, the look of utter dejection and defeat she wore due to the twins' underhanded ploy struck a chord in his large, sentimental heart. "Wait!" he bellowed loudly, commanding the attention of the entire host club. "My dearest daughter shouldn't be subjected to such treatment; she's our princess!" He threw his arms around Haruhi and said, "If you do not wish to - "

"Tamaki-sempai, please get off me." Her eyes narrowed. "Now."

She stepped out of his suddenly slack embrace. "...to participate..." He sniffled and whimpered rather pathetically, his arms like noodles at his sides.

"Does this mean you will make up the money we lose?" Kyoya asked his friend. "Disregarding the costume, our customers are fond of Haruhi, and they may be disappointed if their favorite host is not here. If disappointment means less spending..." He looked over at Haruhi, a rather wicked smile playing at his lips. She squirmed uncomfortably.

"Of course I shall help my most wonderful, beautiful, marvelous daughter! Send the charge to me, Kyoya - add nothing to Haruhi's debt." She looked positively jubiliant until he added, "If she'll do me one small favor."

Haruhi groaned. "What?"

He smiled nervously. "Allow me to enjoy another lovely commoner's dinner at your quaint home."

"Us, too! Us, too!" the twins said eagerly.

"Yah!" Hunny said, leaping up merrily. "Dinner at Haru-chan's!"

The host club was all in an excited uproar, ignoring Haruhi's feeble protests. Kyoya smirked and walked up to her. "Looks like you're stuck," he said quietly, placing his hand on the small of her back for a moment as he passed by. "Expect us tomorrow." He smiled enigmatically and walked off.

Somehow, Haruhi could already sense that the following evening would be a complete disaster.

* * *

The next day, Haruhi managed to get out of host club _duties_ again by pleading that she need time to prepare the "delicious commoner dinner extravaganza" that Tamaki so desperately wanted. 

All she had to do was straighten up a bit and cook, which certainly woudln't be difficult. She'd have to make more than she normally would - quite a bit more - but since she had some extra time, that wouldn't be taxing.

With plenty of time to spare, the meal was finished - and Haruhi sat down with her school books to get a some studying done before the others came.

She was surprised to suddenly hear a knock on her door.

But upon her approach, she heard loud, obnoxious - and all too familiar - voices, and on second thought she wasn't surprised at all. Rolling her eyes in exasperation (be it premature or not), she pulled open the door and found herself face to face with her six fellow hosts. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Oh. You're here early."

They all barged in, greeting her warmly as they pushed past. Kyoya came in last, smirking as he took in her look of acute agitation. "Good afternoon, Haruhi," he said smoothly, placing the flowers he had brought on top of the box of strawberries Mori and Hunny had thrust into her arms. "You're looking, as, ahh... lovely as ever."

Her face clearly said "bite me", but Haruhi only sighed and said, "Good afternoon. Please, make yourself at home - everyone else is."

He chuckled under his breath and followed her. Tamaki and the twins were continuing the lively argument they had started outside, while Mori sat as still and silent as a statue, Hunny bouncing around him like a small, hyper bird.

When Kaoru spotted their host he turned away from Tamaki and said, "Haruhi - over here! Come sit by your two favorites."

Hikaru stood and grabbed her arm, "helping" her down between himself and his brother.

"So my dearest daughter," Tamaki, who was clearly trying to make a good impression by being on his best behavior, said, "When are we going to eat? I can already taste the delicious wares you - "

"Stop sucking up, Tono," Hikaru said with a vicious grin. "Haruhi doesn't want to hear it." He put his arm around her shoulders and leaned in close. Kaoru followed his brother's lead and in a moment they had formed a nice Haruhi-sandwich. "Don't cook for them," Hikaru said. "Why don't you fix Kaoru and me something delicious and let the rest - "

Kyoya cleared his throat and shot them a very telling look.

Haruhi untangled herself from the Hitachiin tentacles and stood up, putting on the mantle of hostess. "I figured you all would be early, so I took the liberty of already preparing our meal."

She disappeared off into the kitchen for a moment before reappearing with a great deal of food. Tamaki and Mori - though only the latter was of any real help - immediately rushed to her aid. After a moment, a veritable feast lay before them.

It was - much to Tamaki's effervescent delight - all very delicious.

"Yah!" Hunny said joyously, once he had eaten his fill. "Haru-chan did great!" He beamed up at her. "Thank you for dinner."

"Ahh." His child-like sincerity moved her. "You're very welcome, Hunny-sempai."

"Yes, yes!" Tamaki agreed, "It was divine." The twins were quick to offer praise as well; Mori nodded and gave her a very satisfied sort of grunt, and even Kyoya deigned to murmur "delicious".

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Haruhi said, feeling quite satisfied with the whole ordeal. "But now it's time for me to clean up, and - "

"Haruhi," Hunny said, clutching her sleeve and looking up at her with big, wet eyes, "Isn't there any dessert?"

She stifled a moan as the other hosts looked at her expectantly as well.

Hunny gasped and said, "Haru-chan can make a cake! The strawberries Takashi and I brought are really, really good - and just perfect for cake." He beamed. "Would Haruhi make a cake?"

"I..." No, wait. If she didn't have the ingredients, then someone - or perhaps six someones - would have to go to the store to pick up what she needed. Which would give her the _perfect_ opportunity to clean up. "Well, I don't have everything I need, Hunny-sempai." She pretended to think about it. "I'd have to go to the store - and that wouldn't leave me any time to clean. If only someone would go get the ingredients for me..."

To her immense pleasure, she saw that she had plenty of willing volunteers.

Haruhi quickly made six copies of the list - and if she added one or two extra things, who could really blame her? - and soon the host club had been herded out the door.

She sighed in relief, glad to have her home to herself again. With a vague sort of smile, she began clearing the table.

"Need some help?"

She yelped in surprise and dropped all she had been holding. "Kyoya-sempai! What are you doing here? I thought you went with everyone else to buy the groceries."

"Yes, well..." He began to pick up the things she had dropped, placing them back in her arms. "I thought that your need for my help was greater than theirs. Seems I was quite correct."

She glared at him. "Forgive me, Kyoya-sempai, but I think it was your fault I made this mess in the first place."

He ignored her and headed towards the kitchen. "If you want to finish cleaning up by the time the others get back," he said casually, "then you really need to get started."

It was easier just to agree. Arguing with Kyoya never helped anything. "I know," she said with a sigh. "I'm starting now."

Haruhi piled all the dishes in the sink. She looked to Kyoya hopefully. "Would you like to dry?"

He raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Pardon?"

"You know - I'll wash them all and you'll dry them." She held up a towel and smiled crookedly. "Very little effort required."

"Naturally, I'll help." He adjusted his glasses and smirked. "As long as I receive compensation, of course."

With a low grumble, Haruhi handed him the small towel and they got down to work. If anyone from the host club _had_ to stay, she supposed that it was good it was Kyoya; he and Mori were the only ones who could be counted on to do something efficiently and with no nonsense. She was beginning to appreciate that quality more and more.

"Are we almost done?" Kyoya asked, obviously bored of the work. "This is menial, and - "

"Yes!" Haruhi handed him a final bowl. "Dry that and we are officially through." She smiled.

Kyoya kept his eyes on her as he dried. he set the bowl down and smiled enigmatically. "And now, Haruhi, we come to the question of my payment."

The way he was looking at her made her very uncomfortable. "Um... You're not going to add more to my debt, are you?"

He shook his head and dropped the dish towel he was holding. "No."

"Th-then are you g-"

"No." He was moving closer.

"Well, what - "

"Haruhi," he said, his voice low, "I'm going to kiss you."

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him - and the next instant his lips fell on hers.

Whatever either of them had been expecting, it certainly wasn't to bump noses and have his glasses pressing into her forehead. Haruhi knew the basic mechanics of a kiss, but she had very little practical knowledge and limited experience with the finer points of the action. It was... sort of nice, she mused, though he was holding her too tightly.

Kyoya seemed to be doing fine, however, though she imagined it was unpleasant to bend down as far as he was. She pushed up on her tiptoes. That seemed to spur him on and he got slightly more aggressive. Haruhi wasn't entirely sure she liked it. Something foreign tentatively touched her lips. She gasped, and what she soon realized was Kyoya's tongue slid into her mouth. To their collective dismay - and later Haruhi swore up and down it was an accident - she bit it.

He grunted in pain and she pushed him back, hard, trying to get some space between them. She needed to think and she wanted to apologize. Unfortunately, she pushed him back right onto the fallen dish towel. He started to fall backwards, grabbing onto the first thing he could reach: Haruhi.

They tumbled to the floor in a heap. She had knocked the air out of him when she had fallen onto his chest, but after a moment, he coughed and said, "Haruhi... get off me."

"Oh! Sorry, Kyoya-sempai, I - " In her haste to get up, she tripped over the same cloth that had caused the trouble in the first place. So she toppled onto him again. "Are you all right? I really am sorry."

He nodded, and sheepishly she scrambled off of him.

Which was fortunate, because right at that moment they both heard the door open. "Haruhi!" Tamaki's voice called loudly. "We're back!"

Kyoya only had time to sit up before the five eager men had run into the kitchen, holding bags of all the things that had been on Haruhi's list.

Hikaru looked furious, while Tamaki was gaping at them like a fish. "Wha... What is going on here?"

Haruhi held up the towel as Kyoya got to his feet. "Kyoya-sempai was helping me dry the dishes, but he tripped over the dish towel and accidentally pulled me down with him. We fell." The look she gave them all said her story was not to be questioned.

Folding his arms over his chest, Hikaru huffed. "Why did Kyoya-sempai get to stay, anyway? I would have been much more help, Haruhi."

"Yeah, Kyo-chan," Hunny said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "We missed you in the supermarket!"

"Well as Haruhi said, Hunny-sempai - I was here, helping her clean up. I thought she might appreciate another set of hands."

Mori shot him a speculative glance, but Kyoya chose to ignore it.

Tamaki whimpered. "C-can I help you next time, Haruhi?"

She rolled her eyes. "If you really want to, Tamaki-sempai; but you have to promise to actually _help_ and not just get in the way." She sighed. "All right, boys, if you'll give me what you bought, I guess I can start fixing the cake."

Hunny squealed happily and everyone began emptying their bags. Since Kyoya had been _lucky_ enough to stay and help Haruhi clean, everyone wanted a chance to help her bake. The kitchen was full of warmth and noise, and even Haruhi had to admit that as long as nothing was spilled or broken the atmosphere was rather pleasant.

And since the room was so full, if her eyes did drift to Kyoya wistfully once or twice, no one even noticed. That kiss might have been a complete and utter disaster, but since it couldn't get any worse, she thought it just might be worth it to try again.

* * *

**End A/N:** Once again, sorry this took so long. Thank you all for reviewing - that means so much to me! More people have favorited this or put the fic on their alert list than I ever expected. That makes me so very, very happy! It means a great, great deal to me - so though for awhile I ignored this story, my readers still kept it on my mind. You guys rock! Um... Heh - and I certainly wouldn't mind reviews for this chapter. I'll put up responses to the chapter four reviews really soon. 

(On another - I just recently realized how much taller Kyoya is. In volume 1, his height's given as five feet ten inches. That's ten inches taller than Haruhi! For some reason, that just never registered until now. Heh.)

1. I didn't take time to describe the costumes, but they're very typical of the hosts. I can't draw or I'd try to do that for you guys - if anyone needs my help picturing it, though, PM me and I'll be glad to send you a description.


	6. Kiss 5

**_An Exchange of Few Words_**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club._

**A/N:** YAH! A present for you, my beautiful readers. An update that didn't take months! Wow! (Yes, I hear the gasps of disbelief now!) At any rate... thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's absurdly fluff-tastic, though - mucho love-love introspection and some good ol' fashioned romance. I hope it's not boring - but really... it's just a date. Interest piqued or stomach churning? Well! At any rate... Here we go. What's this thing rated, anyway? I don't remember. Ahh well.

**Chapter Six:** Success

**xXx**

Their fifth kiss was a success.

After the debacle of the impromptu dinner (and the subsequent kiss), Haruhi was suddenly thrust into the unfamiliar world of attraction. The_ very_ unfamiliar world. She wasn't the type of girl who ever developed crushes, and the few romantic interests she had entertained were certainly nothing more than lukewarm. And though she had been aware that some men were well-formed, she had never before experienced a desire to become better acquainted with one of those forms.

Being near Kyoya made her uncomfortably aware of her own body. She suddenly felt all heat and elbows, the composure he radiated giving rise to the unsettling feeling of embarrassment. It wasn't particularling passionate or strong, but for Haruhi - who had little to no experience with such sensations - it was feeling enough to make things slightly awkward for her.

And, being Haruhi, she tried to explain it away. Humans were designed to want to pass along their genes, which was true, evolutionary reason for sexual desire. (Right? She nearly had herself fully convinced.) And though Kyoya's personality wasn't particularly appealing, she enjoyed talking to him and more often than not he was engaging to be around. (Well, he was engaging when it was just the two of them. Most other times, he was scheming and being all-around enigmatic.) Surely she was only attracted to him on some superficial level, and it would pass with time. She couldn't_ truly _be attracted to him; the very thought was ludicrous! Still, though, her mind was uneasy. She knew she was just rationalizing, but... What else could she do?

A few of her customers seemed to notice her preoccupation and one afternoon they called her on it. "F-fujioka-kun," a short, soft-spoken girl named Kaori asked one afternoon. "Are you... all right? You seem distant today."

Haruhi sighed. "My apologies. I do have something on my mind. I won't let it get in the way of - "

"Oh no, Haruhi-kun!" another girl named Ran - the girl who had once confessed her feelings - said quickly. "We don't mind, do we girls?" The other two at the table shook their heads. "That's right. If you have a problem..." She looked down for a moment before gazing at Haruhi sweetly with shining eyes. "We'd like to help."

"Oh." For a moment, Haruhi faltered.

"Yes, yes! Please let us help you!"

"We're worried about you."

She smiled at her customers. "I truly appreciate it, but it's a bit of a... personal problem."

Instead of politely changing the subject, the three girls only became more interested. "Ooh, personal, Haruhi-kun? What could it be? Oh, tell us; tell us!"

Since the subject was of a romantic nature and Haruhi had turned one of the girls present down, she imagined it wouldn't be at all tactful to bring it up. Her mouth opened for a moment as she struggled for words.

Ran looked down. "If... If it's about someone you love, Haruhi-kun, then... Don't keep it in on my account."

"I am sorry," Haruhi told her. "But yes. I have..." The words felt ridiculous even in her mind. "I have a sort of a_... crush_ on someone."

The three girls all squealed. "Who is it?" Kaori asked. "Does she like you, too?"

The third girl - Hatsumi - giggled and winked. "Or maybe... Does_ he _like you back?"

"I believe so," Haruhi said thoughtfully. "We have kissed." The girls seemed even more thrilled. "But... I never expected to like this person." She frowned. "The feelings is very strange."

"You... You should tell them how you feel, Fujioka-kun!" Kaori said swiftly, her face bright with excitement.

"Yes!" Hatsumi agreed, clasping her hands and looking fit to swoon. "Confess your eternal love."

"OHH!"

Haruhi sighed softly at their exuberance. Somehow, Kyoya did not seem to be an_ eternal love _sort of person.

* * *

Kyoya was, in fact, in much the same predicament. There hadn't been more than three or four girls at Ouran who had ever caught his eye, but he was no stranger to the niggling feeling of attraction. He knew that he was handsome, and he had realized early on the benefits of being found attractive. It was gratifying to know that one had inspired such feelings, and it was even _more_ gratifying to act on those feelings. 

So he quickly realized that he wanted to act on his feelings for Haruhi. The problem was, of course, how to go about doing just that. The first thing that came to mind was to use giant tuna; appealing to the girl's gluttunous side was probably the method with the greatest probability of success. But at the same time it was nothing short of bribery, and though more than used to procuring what he wanted through material means, Kyoya had too much pride to coerce a woman with money (or food) - his attractions were many, and surely she was out of her mind if she couldn't see that.

The direct approach, then, as much as he detested it.

Kyoya smirked down at his paper, only subconsciously noting what the teacher said. He was going to ask Fujioka Haruhi out on a date.

* * *

"A-a what?" Haruhi seemed surprised. Kyoya gave her a stern look, warning her to keep her voice down. "I'm sorry, Kyoya-sempai," she said more quietly, "But this is just a bit of a surprise. Do you really want to... go on a _date_ with me?" 

He passed up the opportunity for sarcasm. "Yes, Haruhi. I really want to go on a date with you." He adjusted his glasses as she thought over the proposition; clearly, Haruhi hadn't been asked on many dates previously (assuming, of course, that she even realized what she was asked). "So... ? May I have a 'yes', please?"

"This is just..." She didn't look embarrassed, but the look on her face spoke of a very similar emotion. "All right, Kyoya-sempai. I'll go on a date with you."

Kyoya smirked. "Excellent. I'll send a limo for you at seven this coming Sunday. Don't worry about dressing up." His smirk grew slightly more wicked. "That will be more than taken care of."

And as worried as she was by that statement, Haruhi was excited as well. Spending an entire evening with him would help her get a better grasp on her feelings, and - she thought with rather girlish delight - it might even be fun.

So she was waiting patiently early Sunday evening, dressed in slacks and a blue blouse, when a large, black limo pulled up outside her building. The chauffeur held open the door, and primly Haruhi slid inside. She was shocked to discover Kyoya was not inside.

"He'll meet up with us later, miss. First we're to pick up your dress."

"M-my... dress?"

He started the car. "Yes, Fujioka-san - my instructions are quite explicit. Pick up the dress ordered for you, then take you to meet Kyoya-sama."

"Oh. Of course." Haruhi sat back with a sigh. Why was she expecting anything different? Kyoya liked keeping people in the dark until the very end; she only hoped that it would be worth it.

The dress was extremely well-made and must have cost more than her father made in a whole year. "I can't believe he bought me a dress," she groused. "I'm sure I could have found something appropriate on my own." Carefully, she zipped the back up. It was much tighter than what she was used to, though the silk made her feel chic and very sophisticated. She surveyed herself in the mirror a final time.

"Are you done changing?"

"Yes. Just a moment." She gathered up her clothes and stepped out of the dressing room. The chauffeur tipped his cap to her with a polite smile. "All right. Let's go."

After leaving the boutique, they drove to a very upscale sushi restaurant. Haruhi was herded inside and led to a small booth were Kyoya and a bouquet of roses were waiting. "Hello, Haruhi," he said pleasantly. "Good to see you made it."

"Was the dress really necessary?" she grumbled. "I could never afford this."

"Perhaps that's why I didn't send you the bill." He handed her a menu. "We're going out after this, and I thought it best if you were dressed appropriately." Before she could respond, he continued, "And no - I won't be adding the expense to your debt. I asked for this outing, and I am more than willing to pay for it." He patted her knee. "Enjoy yourself, Haruhi. That's all I ask."

With the prospect of fresh, delicious sushi before her and a handsome young man beside her, Haruhi was quite certain that she would enjoy herself as she had on very few occasions before.

"This is _divine_," she rhapsodized, finished with her third helping. "Where did you hear of this place - I think that was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten."

Kyoya hid a smile. "One of my father's business associates owns it; the clientele is very exclusive - often, higher-end businessmen come here for the soft, neutral atmosphere when they're trying to make a deal. Not to mention, of course..." He noticed Haruhi slumped down, one hand on her stomach under the table, eyes closed in a state of very full bliss. "The food is, as you've noticed, unrivalled."

"Mmm. I'd agree with that." She sighed in pleasure and sat up. "Where are we going next? Though, honestly, I can't see anything topping this."

"I thought a bit of Western culture would nicely contrast the Eastern cuisine." He handed her a thin envelope. "A ticket for the opera - Puccini's _La Bohème_."

"I've never been to an opera before," she said, tucking the ticket into the clutch that had come with the dress.

"Don't worry; I think you'll enjoy it."

The limo took them over to a theatre, where Haruhi saw why she needed to be so dressed up. There were women as stern and pristine as Tamaki's grandmother, or as beautiful and modern as some fashion models. "This way," Kyoya said, a hand between her shoulder blades. "When the company's leading tenor lost his voice a few months ago, my family's hospital came to the rescue - so two of the best seats are always reserved for the Ohtori family." She wondered if that was supposed to impress her.

They walked into the beautiful, posh theatre and were led to their seats by a tall, immaculately-dressed usher.

Living up fully to Kyoya's expectations, the show was beautiful. The singing was exceptional - though watching Haruhi enjoy it was almost better than watching it for himself. Halfway through, he discreetly reached over and grabbed Haruhi's hand. She seemed surprised, but after a moment of hesitation, she gripped his hand in return.

They stayed like that for the remainder of the performance, and Haruhi had to concede that it was very nice - if somewhat distracting. It was very difficult to concentrate on the performance when Kyoya's thumb absently ran over the back of her hand.

"That was lovely," Haruhi said on the way home, "though it was very sad, as well." She sighed. "That final scene..."

Kyoya chuckled to himself. "You're not usually this romantic, Haruhi."

"Well I'm not being romantic," she responded evenly. "I just appreciate the work - I thought it was very well done; you could feel how much Rodolfo loved Mimi just through his voice."

"Well I'm glad you liked it."

"Yes. I certainly did."

When they reached Haruhi's home, Kyoya kindly offered to walk her to her door. "Keep the dress," he said, stopping right at the door before Haruhi stepped inside. "I meant it when I said I would take care of the bill; and it looks wonderful on you."

"Ahh. Thank you, Kyoya-sempai. Actually, thank you for this entire evening. I had a very nice time."

"I'm glad." He looked at her intently for a moment. "I have to go now, but thank you again for accompanying me - I had a nice time, as well." She smiled up at him. "Haruhi... May I kiss you goodnight?"

She nodded slowly.

He slipped his glasses off and leaned down, one hand cupping her cheek. He paused right before his lips met hers.

"K-kyoya-sempai? What's - "

"This time, promise me that you'll saving biting as a _last_ resort."

Her cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink, and she lowered her eyes. "I am sorry about that; it really was just an accident. I won't... I-I won't..."

Words seemed to fail her as he leaned down further, and she made a soft noise of surrender as their mouths met. If Kyoya had been aggressive before, he was suddenly anything but. He kissed her slowly, softly - drawing her out of her shell, milking every drop of passion she had. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He caught her bottom lip between both of his, and gently tilted his head. 

For both of them, the kiss was close to perfect. 

Kyoya pulled away first, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He smiled. "You didn't bite me. I suppose this means that my performance was acceptable?"

"More than acceptable," Haruhi said. "That was..." She touched his cheek. "That was perfect." She waved a quick goodbye and headed into the apartment. 

With a rather cocky smile, Kyoya headed back to his limo. "Home now?" the chauffeur asked. 

"Yes. And hurry - it's late."

"Of course. If you don't mind my asking, Kyoya-sama, how was your date?"

"Overall, I'd say it was definitely a success."

* * *

**End A/N:** WHOO! Another chapter finished. I probably won't be able to update before the twenty-second (and that's an optimistic date) because 1.) As I said in chp. 5, I lost all my notes so I'm having to come up with everything chapter by chapter. And 2.) I'm going to be moving to school. So! I'll make you guys a deal. Over 100 people have put this on story alert, so I'm fairly sure I'm getting some readers. If I can get 20 reviews for this, then I promise that the next chapter will be up within 24 hours. Otherwise, you guys are gonna have to wait until I get my laptop completely set up. I would never hold my story hostage for reviews, though, so don't worry about that. This is just something to try to get the next chapter done in a timely manner - but it'll be updated regardless. 

REVIEW! And Tamaki will take you to Paris for a romantic dinner, feeding you chocolate truffles and calling you _cherie_.


	7. Kiss 6

**_An Exchange of Few Words_**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club._  
**A/N:** Wow! You guys are great. And just like I promised, here's chapter seven. This one is a little bit longer than usual, and it's much more "plot-ish" than the last chapter. I'll try to get chapter eight finished soon, but I've no idea when I'll be able to. (Hint: more reviews do equal quicker updates - I just can't make the same promise this time. Heh.) That chapter is another interlude, this time with the twins. Well, enjoy the sixth Kyo/Haru kiss! And thanks again for all the reviews. 

**Chapter Seven:** Challenge

**xXx**

Their sixth kiss was a challenge.

Some girls might have swooned and handed their hearts over immediately after such a romantic date, but not Fujioka Haruhi. Her approach was much more... clinical.

"Kyoya-sempai, I think I'd like you to be my boyfriend."

Luckily, they were alone. He adjusted his glasses to give himself a moment to think - and regain the small measure of composure he had lost. "Your... _boyfriend_?"

She nodded, calm and completely serious. "Yes. I enjoyed our date, and I've realized that I'm attracted to you. It seems logical to start a relationship."

"Relationship?" He had no idea how to react; he wasn't even sure how he felt about the prospect. "Well, Haruhi, I..." He cleared his throat. "Isn't it more traditional for the man to first suggest such an arrangement?"

"Oh. I suppose so. I just wanted to let you know that I'd be perfectly happy with 'such an arrangment'..." She let herself smile. "If you ever care to suggest it."

He smirked in return. "Perhaps I'd care to now. If that means, of course, that I'd be receiving all the benefits of the position."

"Benefits? What kind of benefits?"

"You'll make wonderful Tamaki deterrent." He put his hands on her waist - she was so small. "And I'll be able to kiss you whenever I want to."

He was making no secret of his intentions. Haruhi's breath caught and she whispered, "Like... now?"

"Yes. Like now."

Their faces were inches apart when suddenly Hikaru's voice shouted, "No way, tono, we're seeing Haruhi first!"

"My darling daughter! Don't let those twins corrupt you. Daddy's coming!"

Kyoya stepped away as quickly as he could, grabbing his clipboard from a side table. A moment later, the other hosts came rushing in. Haruhi was bombarded by a tangle of twins and Tamaki.

"Our doll!" Hikaru and Kaoru said quickly, whisking her out of the grip of the club's president. They nuzzled their cheeks against Haruhi, keeping a firm grip on her upper arms.

Haruhi sighed in exasperation. "It's good to see you, too."

"We couldn't find your history book," Hikaru said with a pout. "I thought you said you had lost it at lunch."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her, and discreetly nudged said book under the couch with his foot.

"I did," Haruhi said. "That's the last place I can remember seeing it." She sighed in a very good show of disappointment. "Maybe someone will bring it in before class tomorrow."

"No!" Tamaki said, eyes blazing. "If we must, we shall call the company and get another copy delivered here this very afternoon. My darling Haruhi mustn't be made to wait."

"Tamaki-sempai..." She wriggled a little against the twins' grip, but had no luck breaking free. "Mori-sempai, would you - Ahh!" Before she had even finished her request, she was hoisted up in the air by two strong arms.

"There you go, Haruhi."

She smiled at him. "Thank you." Turning her attention back to a certain Suoh, she said "And I don't think calling the company will be necessary. I'm sure the book will show up eventually."

"B-but - "

Hunny giggled, a ring of frosting around his mouth. "Tamaki-kun loves Haruhi too, too much!"

Mori produced a handkerchief. "Mitsukuni..."

"Ahh! Thank you!" He wiped his mouth, then smiled proudly. "We all love Haru-chan," he said happily. He plopped down on the couch and somehow produced a cupcake. "But I think one person loves her the very, very most." Kyoya could have sworn the tiny senior's eyes shot towards him.

"Me, of course." Hikaru said, coming up behind her and playing with Haruhi's hair.

"I love my beautiful daughter the most! Mother!" Tamaki wailed. "Help rescue our daughter from the clutches of her wretched sibling!"

Kyoya sighed. Tamaki wailing, Hitachiin mischief, Hunny eating sweets...

Just another average, Host Club day.

* * *

Tamaki had to restrain himself from jumping up and down in excitement. As soon as Haruhi got there, he'd announce his big news. 

"Tamaki," Kyoya sighed, "Could you concentrate for a moment, please? You were attempting to explain to me why dressing all the hosts as mermen would be a good way to make money."

Yes, his merpeople idea had been delightful! If only beautiful Haruhi were allowed to be as feminine as she so richly deserved...

"Tamaki!"

He smiled sheepishly. "My apologies, Kyoya. I was - "

"Thinking dirty thoughts, no doubt." One of the twins said. Without Haruhi, no one could really be sure which was which.

The other twin grinned at his brother. "About our precious princess, too! Oh, Kaoru... It's too much for me."

"Don't worry Hikaru - I'll be here to hold and comfort you whenever you feel too weak to go on."

Haruhi arrived at the third music room just in time to see the Hitachiins drape themselves all over one another. She rolled her eyes. "Is that necessary?" she asked them. "There aren't any customers here."

Tamaki gasped. "You're here! You're here!" He stampeded towards her in a storm of giddiness. "My darling daughter, I have stupendous news!"

"I have nothing left of my debt to pay?"

Kyoya laughed. "Don't be ridiculous." She shot him a glare.

"As much as I wish that I could say as much, I'm afraid that's not the good news I bring." He clasped his hands together and spun around. "My father has allowed me the use of our wonderful vacation home! Tomorrrow I'll be whisking us all away for a fun, friend-filled vacation to - "

"I wanted to spend my holiday with my father." Tamaki's lip quivered and Haruhi's eyes narrowed. "My _real_ father." He retreated quickly to his corner-of-woe.

"But it'll be fun!" Hikaru whined.

"Please, Haru-chan," Hunny begged.

Kyoya didn't look at her. "Debt reduced by a fourth."

"All right!" She sighed. "I'll go, but I want you all to know that I do it unwillingly."

The boys all exchanged a glance. "Fine with us!"

And that was how, the next day, Haruhi found herself on a plane to some island - that she had gathered could possibly be near the Mediterranean - that Tamaki's father actually _owned_. Her small duffel was stowed under her feet and two of her school books (including the history book that miraculously reappeared the next morning) were beside her.

"Enjoying the flight?" Kyoya asked, taking a seat in front of her.

"I suppose so." The rich, white leather the seats were made of was comfortable and smooth, and Kyoya looked unusually handsome and elegant against such a background. "Though honestly I'd rather be home."

"We won't interrupt your studying." She looked at him disbelievingly. He smirked. "Much."

"Well... I suppose this won't be too miserable." She put her hand over his.

"Oh, rest assured I'll see to that personally. But..." He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice. "We'll have to be discreet." He squeezed her hand and placed it back in her lap.

"At least you can be discreet," she said.

"What do you mean?"

Haruhi took a sip of her bottled water. "Well, since I spend so much time with the Host Club and you're all rich, handsome men, I expected that one day I might possibly have feelings for one of you. Honestly, I thought Mori-sempai was most likely. You and Hunny-sempai were the last on my list. Luckily, though, you're the sensible one." She smiled, almost in relief. "I don't think any of the others - save Mori-sempai, perhaps - could have handled a relationship with any sort of maturity."

Kyoya crossed his legs and settled more comfortably in his seat. He was intrigued. "Do I have competition? It seems that he has just as many attractive qualities as I do."

"I dare say he does. Actually, I was more physically attracted to him initially." Kyoya shifted his glasses; Haruhi didn't notice. "But it would take a long time to have the kind of link Hunny-sempai has with him. I can't communicate nonverbally with someone I don't know very _very_ well. With you, I'm able to actually have a conversation that involves _words_. I like Mori-sempai, but... I think I made the best choice."

"Of course you did." Haruhi laughed at his ego. "We suit each other very well, Haruhi, and I am looking forward to this vacation for more reasons than just the luxurious Suoh mansion and the beautiful beach." He gave her an intense look.

She was, of course, oblivious. "I know! It's amazing that they own their own _island_."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Haruhi..." He stood up and patted her head. "I'm going to go... talk to the others now. I'll try to arrange some time alone for us when we get there."

And though Kyoya was confident in his organizational abilities, his self-given task was much, much harder than he had anticipated.

A limo arrived to take them to the mansion, where Tamaki insisted on showing everyone to their room himself. And of course, Kyoya's room was last. "I hope you like it," Tamaki said eagerly, drawing aside the curtains to reveal a spectacular view. "This room has one of the best views out to the sea," he told his friend. "I thought you might like it if you stay in your room to do planning or work on your laptop or something."

"Thank you," Kyoya told him, opening his suitcase and beginning to unpack. "You planned this out rather well. The twins in joining rooms, Haruhi with a room near the kitchen, a rotating snack stand for Hunny-sempai..."

Tamaki looked smug. "I just wanted everyone to have the best time." He gave Kyoya a warm pat on the shoulder. "I'll see you later, then. I have to unpack, too!"

"Tamaki... Wait just a minute."

He turned back. "What is it?"

Kyoya unfolded a shirt and placed it on a hanger, looking away from his friend. "What exactly are your feelings for Haruhi?"

"She's my most precious daughter! I - "

"No. I mean... Honestly."

"I... I think I love her, Kyoya. Maybe not true love; perhaps only a silly, boyish fantasy." He shrugged and put on a rather sheepish grin. "But... She's really quite delightful. Fascinating and..." He laughed. "Indescribable." When Kyoya didn't respond, he said, "Well, I'll be going now. See you at dinner!"

"Right." Kyoya sighed, another shirt in his hands. He looked out his window, where the sky was growing darker. It really was a beautiful view. He threw down the shirt and sank down into a chair near his bed. "Damn it - that's _just_ what I needed to hear."

* * *

Dinner that night passed without any trouble, but the next day brought with it plenty. Since there were no other students from Ouran there, Haruhi didn't have to hide her true gender. And that meant bathing suits. And bathing suit could _possibly_ mean bikini. Everyone was anxious to see what she had packed. The twins were so anxious, in fact, that they switched the green one-piece she had brought with a frilly, pink - but still rather modest - bikini of their mother's own design. 

All the boys were waiting outside on the flagstone patio, eager to see Haruhi in all her swimwear-clad glory.

To their immense displeasure (well... maybe not Hunny's), she was wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

"Haruhi!" the twins whined. "We got our mom to make that suit just for you."

"And luckily I have this shirt to cover it up. I didn't bring sunscreen; if that much of my skin is exposed - "

Three bottles were abruptly held out to her.

I..." She rolled her eyes. "Can we please just go down to the beach now?"

"Yes!" Tamaki said, pumping a fist in the air. "We march onward towards sea and sand!"

"Sea shells and sandcastles!" Hunny said merrily.

"Splashing in the waves!"

"Photographing everyone but Haruhi topless and selling the pictures on our website for profit."

Everyone stopped and turned to stare at Kyoya. He smiled enigmatically and pushed his glasses up. "Well?" He began walking down to the beach. "Are we going or not?"

They all followed him down, and soon beach chairs were set up and everyone was gaily frolicking in their respective play areas. Hunny and Mori were building a rather impressive sand fortress guarded by dubious looking bunnies; the Hitachiins were chasing Tamaki around with various things of the slimy or pinching variety; and Haruhi and Kyoya lounged - unobserved - under a large umbrella.

"If you take your t-shirt off," Kyoya said, his tone light, "I'll be more than happy to rub the sunscreen on your shoulders."

"Really? Thanks."

Without giving it a second thought, she pulled her shirt off and turned over in her chair. Kyoya stared at the pale expanse of her back. Did she not realize he'd have to touch every beautiful bit of exposed skin? "I'll... get the lotion." He squirted some out onto his palm and rubbed his hands together.

Haruhi really had far too much skin.

He gently rubbed it into her shoulders and back, guiltily enjoying the sensation of running his hands over her body. "Mmm," she said softly. "Thanks, Kyoya-sempai - that's nice."

His hands stopped.

She turned her head to look up at him. "What's the matter?"

"Haruhi... Do you remember when we talked about men and women?" She nodded. "This is one of those instances when that makes a very, _very_ big difference." He leaned down, his lips at her ear. "And while I have no objections to running my hands over your barely-clothed body - " he let a single finger slip under the knot tying her top together " - those delicious little noises you make are very... _very_... distracting."

She turned herself around to face him, still laying in her chair. He blinked once before leaning closer to her. "Distracting?" she whispered.

"Yes." A hand came up to her face. 

Her eyes darted away for half a moment. "Tamaki-sempai is coming back towards us."

Kyoya cursed under his breath. Then he said loudly, "Are you sure it's not an eyelash, Haruhi? I don't see any sand in your eye." 

After another awkward second, she began to play along. "But it hurts - there's some sort of irritant."

Tamaki plopped down on Kyoya's chair, a towel draped around his neck and over his shoulders. "Are you hurt, my darling daughter? What is mother doing to you?"

Haruhi pulled away from Kyoya and blinked hard a few times. "I think there's a grain of sand in my eye. Kyoya-sempai was trying to see if he noticed it." 

"Oh." Tamaki looked a little suspicious, but he decided to trust her word. "You... You could have asked me, Haruhi."

"You were in the water running away from a crab."

"She's right, you know," Kyoya added. "And... I've had enough sun for one day. I'm going inside to shower off, then perhaps grab a bite to eat." He grabbed his camera bag. "I got what I came out for."

* * *

The next day was even more difficult for them to find time alone. After breakfast: "Haru-chan! Want to play in the pool with me and Takashi?" 

During lunch, there was a food fight. 

After lunch: "Haruhi! Oh, my darling, beautiful daughter. I'll help you clean up!"

The afternoon was spend modeling summer dresses for the twins (in Haruhi's case), and convincing Tamaki that hermit crabs couldn't crawl out of the drain and pinch off his toes (a belief which, unsurprisingly, also linked back to the twins). 

Dinner was a formal affair, and that evening they all went up on the big second-story balcony to do some stargazing. After that, Haruhi went to her room and promptly fell asleep. 

The two days after that were much the same, and Kyoya's patience was wearing thin. He wanted one moment alone with her - one _kiss_ at least, and he would be quite content.

That moment finally came on the night before the had to leave. 

He had gotten up to get a glass of water from the kitchen, and on the return to his room, had run into Haruhi coming out of hers. 

"Oh! Sorry, Kyoya-sempai. I didn't mean to run into you."

"It's quite all right. What are you doing up at this hour?"

"After the nap I had this afternoon, I just couldn't sleep. My mind's too full. I thought maybe a walk on the beach would help me clear my head."

The perfect opportunity. "May I join you?"

She smiled. "Of course."

They grabbed a flashlight and a towel and snuck outside onto the beach. There was a warm breeze and the sky was filled with stars. Haruhi sighed happily at looked up, trying to pick out any familiar constellations. "The night's beautiful," she said, her voice tinged with something approaching reverence. She grabbed Kyoya's hand. "I'm glad I have someone to share it with."

"And I'm glad I get to be that someone." He looked over at her as she stared up at the sky. They had stopped walking, and water lapped at their bare feet. Kyoya spread his towel and sat down a few feet further from the water's edge, pulling Haruhi into his lap.

She sighed again. "I think that for once, I'm glad I let all of you talk me into this. It hasn't been bad at all."

"Good." His fingers were itching to touch her. "I think I can make it even better."

Before she had even fully understood his words, he had turned her around and planted his mouth on hers. She responded enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around his neck and accidentally knocking him onto his back. His glasses were askew, and after a moment, Haruhi pulled them off. He let one hand slide just barely under her pajama top, touching the lower part of her back. She wasn't shy, but her touches were tempered with slight hesitation. He took control of the kiss, nudging open her mouth and showing her that she could take as active a role as he did. 

When she finally pulled away, panting, he nuzzled her neck, kissing a line up to the lobe of her ear. 

"K-kyoya-sempai..."

"What?" he murmured between kisses, his lips hot and soft on her suddenly too-sensitive skin. 

"I think..." She struggled to find her words. "I... I think I just broke your glasses."

He stopped. "What?"

She looked off to one side and slid off him. "I took them off for you, and I set them beside me..." She reached over him and grabbed the slightly twisted frames, one lens cracked. Haruhi winced. "And I accidentally crunched them with my knee."

He sighed and took a few deep breaths. "That's all right, Haruhi - don't worry about it. I brought a pair of contacts for emergencies." He sat up as she scrambled to her feet beside him. She offered him a hand and he stood up as well. 

Slipping his fingers through hers, he gave her a small smile. "Time to head back in, I think. Lead the way?"

Haruhi returned his smile. "My pleasure."

They headed back up the sandy beach towards the tall mansion standing alone by the shore. "The price to repair these is going to be added to your debt, you know."

She sighed defeatedly. "That's what I figured."

* * *

**End A/N:** All right! There we go. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Heh. About as long as chapter five, I think. To me, it's pretty good! Heh. I had fun writing it. Well... Whew! Till chapter eight then. Heh. 

Review and Hunny will take you on a pastry-sampling tour of the country and luxury car of your choice, feeding you strawberries and letting you hold his Bun-Bun.


End file.
